The London Underground stations used as bomb shelters
How did the London Underground light rail network keep civilians safe from bombs during World War II? How were Tube stations adapted as air raid shelters?
Image: Entrance to the air raid shelter at Stockwell station, now used as a war memorial | stock.adobe.com
When the UK declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939, British citizens knew that their day-to-day lives would change dramatically. At the same time, this kind of shift wasn’t entirely unprecedented. The horrors of World War I still lingered in many minds.
So, Brits seeking creative solutions to challenges thrown up by World War II only had to cast their minds back about two decades for inspiration. For example, they recalled how Londoners fearing the potentially lethal threat posed by German air raids had sought cover in London Underground stations.
These stations were similarly repurposed again for World War II, this time on a whole new level – in some instances, literally. New ‘deep-level shelters’ were built under eight of the stations. As Sky HISTORY’s World War II with Tom Hanks is set to begin on Tuesday, 26th May, we ask how these shelters brought precious comfort to anxious Brits during wartime.
The appeal of sheltering in Tube stations
Londoners who had previously lived through World War I were eager to once again take up temporary residence in Tube stations, but the government had other ideas. Politicians knew that these stations would quickly become overcrowded, potentially making them all too tempting targets for Nazi bombers.
As early Nazi onslaughts proved, such fears were far from unfounded. Almost 70 people were killed by bomb damage to Balham station in October 1940. Bank station took a direct hit the following January, resulting in more than a hundred casualties.
However, despite Whitehall’s protests, the public couldn’t stay away from London Underground stations, seeing them as much safer sanctuaries than their own homes. In September 1940, the Blitz began and it was during this eight-month-long bombing campaign that the UK government reversed its stance.
In fact, it went one better, commissioning London Transport to build 10 deep-level shelters under Tube stations. These shelters would collectively be able to hold up to 100,000 people (10,000 per shelter).
The ‘deep-level shelters’ finally come to fruition
Millions moved out of major cities as a result of the government’s wartime evacuation programme. This was a godsend for the London population in particular, as work on building the deep-level shelters only finished in 1942.
By then, the intense bombing characteristic of the Blitz had subsided, leaving the new-fangled shelters looking like white elephants. It didn’t help that the development work hadn’t gone entirely to plan.
Two of the projected shelters were meant to lie beneath the Central Line stations of Chancery Lane and St Paul’s. The other eight were set for Northern Line stations. Those were Belsize Park, Camden Town, Clapham Common, Clapham North, Clapham South, Goodge Street, Oval and Stockwell.
In the event, the attempted construction of the St Paul’s and Oval shelters ran into insurmountable problems. Only eight deep-level shelters made it to the finish line, with the capacity for each reduced to 8,000.
What was it like to stay in a deep-level shelter?
In the latter stages of the war, Germany started bombarding London with V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets. So, from 1944, the deep-level shelters were finally used as originally intended.
Onsite amenities were plentiful enough. Catering staff would serve food from canteens, while shelterers were treated to live music performances and other entertainments.
For the night, shelterers also got to climb into bunk beds. Conversely, those staying overnight in Tube stations not specially modified for the purpose had to sleep on platforms, stairs and even tracks. Those tracks were electrified during the day for use by Tube trains but powered down in the evening.
The legacy of the Tube bomb shelters
Both during and after the war, the shelters were used as bases by members of the army. The Goodge Street shelter’s most famous occupant was American general Dwight D Eisenhower, who later became the 34th President of the United States.
In 1956, a fire at Goodge Street convinced the UK government that the shelters should not be extensively used by either the military or public. Since then, several of the shelters have found new, unexpected uses.
The Stockwell shelter is now adorned with artwork commemorating the war dead. The Clapham South shelter was used as a storage facility but later reopened for visitors to explore on pre-booked tours. Meanwhile, the Clapham Common shelter has been turned into a subterranean farm.
These are just examples of how the London Underground shelters have become historical relics endlessly fascinating to those who specifically seek them out.
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